Gremlins, Lakes have much on line

October 11, 2013

HOUGHTON - Only one team is going to leave Warner Athletic Field in Lake Linden Saturday with strong playoff hopes.

Lake Linden-Hubbell (4-2) hosts Houghton (3-3) in a game with major postseason implications.

If the Lakes can win their Homecoming contest, they'll have two wins over Class B teams, which could help their standing regardless of their ability to achieve automatic playoff qualification by winning their final two games against U.P. Division 8 No. 3 North Dickinson and No. 1 Forest Park.

If Houghton can beat LL-H for the first time since 1981, the Gremlins will have achieved their toughest hurdle (on paper, at least) to winning their last three games and earning an automatic playoff berth. Next week, Houghton hosts winless Baraga, then plays at 2-4 Hancock in the Copper Bowl.

L'Anse, meanwhile, knows it's in regardless of what happens over the last two weeks if it can just get past Calumet tonight at Meadowbrook Field.

The Hornets last beat the Copper Kings in 2007 in a muddy Meadowbrook quagmire. With a win on terra firma tonight, they can clinch playoff berths in consecutive years for the first time in school history.

Calumet, meanwhile, is still trying to get on the board at 0-6, and end a scoring drought lasting more than two games. The Kings haven't registered a point since Robert Erkkila's 10-yard touchdown catch from Tyler Loukus with 9:49 to play in the first half of their Week 4 loss to Houghton, a total of nearly 130 minutes of game time.

Baraga (0-6) goes for the monumental upset in its home finale tonight against 6-0 Forest Park.

Hancock hits the road to play Ironwood. The Red Devils are winless at 0-6 but did give L'Anse a game last week before losing.

Finally 0-6 Ontonagon has a Saturday trip to Wakefield scheduled to meet the Gogebic Miners.